Gefen Amp Pumps Up the Volume to 2.1

The new device is designed for small home entertainment systems or as an add-on audio processor to any computer audio output.

No receiver? No problem! At least that’s the idea behind a new Gefen product.

The new 2.1 Amplifier with Auto Volume Stabilizer can deliver two-channel audio, as well as a subwoofer, using any digital or analog audio input. It even stabilizes that outgoing audio, so you don’t blow an eardrum (or a speaker) when the volume spikes during those super-loud commercial breaks. It goes the other way too, adjusting for drops, so you won’t miss a minute of the action.

If you like that little jolt you get from varying TV volume, you can skip the stabilizing via the bypass switch on the back of the unit.

The product can support two digital (coax, optical) inputs and one analog (L/R) input. Users can switch between those inputs using an IR remote or the controls on the front panel. It’s also important to note that both of those digital audio inputs are down-mixed to 2.1 analog, using Dolby AC3 technology.

“This is a highly desirable functionality for those who use or prefer to use two-channel systems,” says Hagai Gefen, Gefen’s president and CEO. “It can interface with today’s Blu-rays and other digital systems, and still deliver an optimal analog audio output, with bonus auto volume stabilizing.”

Promising uncompressed audio with a rich stereo sound, the 2.1 Amplifier with Auto Volume Stabilizer can be used with both audio and video devices, making it great for everything from the dorm room to the den.

Gefen is now taking preorders on this device, which has an MSRP of $599.